Balls…
Or as we more formally
call them at All Good Bakers, Energy Treats. Tasty goodness, compacted for
on-the-go, impossible to photograph well, containing multiple expensive
(delicious) ingredients, a fan favorite, and a pain in the arse to make in
bulk.
Volunteers, interns or new
employees have, in the past, always been inducted into the AGB kitchen with the
task of preparing “The Balls” (no other term came as quickly to the brain or lips
when referring to these perfect representatives of tasty pleasure and repeated-preparation-pain).
Carpal Tunnel is in one’s future (nee, our reality) if one makes a lot of them,
day after day, year after year. We’ve tried pounding the mixture into sheet
pans (and other methods) but the mixture just doesn’t stick together properly
unless you follow the instructions below. There is no simplification of the
process for making them…that we can think of anyway.
We’ve decided to stop preparing
The Balls recently (after 3 years). Here’s why: Some ingredient prices have
gone up (all are fairly expensive) and we’d have to charge more than people have said they would be
willing to pay to make preparing them profitable. Honestly, we need to devote
our prep time to other items, as well as preserve our most treasured, skillful
limbs as bakers - our hands, wrists and arms - for long-term posterity (and
sanity).
Energy Treat fans needn’t despair, because
we’re giving away the recipe! These vegan, gluten-free balls-o-goodness are
easy to make in small batches on an occasional basis. However, be careful with
whom you share your efforts because everyone in your circle will soon become
addicted, and you’ll likely find yourself where we are…icing our wrists
& elbows on the sofa every evening to decrease swelling. Feel free to share
this recipe.
Kids and adults enjoy these tasty, nutritious treats
during sports breaks, packed in lunches, for an afternoon snack when you hit the
bricks at work, and they’re not too sweet for a quick breakfast if you’re in a
hurry.
Here’s our recipe, which
can be adapted with all manner of substitutions – from different nut or seed
butters, dried fruits, and other grains or sweet components. These are the
ingredients we use – the quality of the ones you choose will make a big
difference in texture and taste, so we don’t recommend skimping on “big box
store” ingredients. All of these ingredients can be found at our local Co-Op
(The Honest Weight).
All Good Bakers’
Energy Treats
Makes about 10
individual balls; Recipe multiplies easily
--Combine well with sturdy
wooden spoon in generously sized bowl
1/3 cup Our Daily Eats raw
Sunflower Seeds
(avail by special order
via links above)
--Add the above
ingredients, all at one time, to the Peanut Butter/Maple mixture, incorporate
well.
--Add to mixture 1 cup at
a time until all cereal is combined.
Fill a separate, small
bowl with lukewarm water and dunk a 1/3rd cup measure into it before
scooping and firmly packing the mixture into the measuring cup, then tapping it
out onto a parchment-covered sheet pan/cookie sheet. Dunk, scoop & tap
until all of the mixture is transferred (don’t allow the cup to become too wet, that will moisten the cereal
too much so that it becomes distastefully soggy; a dunk in the water every 2nd
or 3rd scoop works well enough to prevent sticking. The parchment
lining soaks up excess moisture on the bottom of the ball, preventing further
soggy-ness).
Lightly wet your hands (as
necessary, preventing excessive moisture) and pack the individual mixtures into
balls as tightly as possible. With repeated preparation, it's best if more than 2 hands share the work of shaping. Transfer to a parchment/doily covered plate, cover
lightly and refrigerate for an hour or so, till they firm up (layer parchment
between stacks to prevent fusion). Balls can be stored in a covered container
for up to a week, or frozen if wrapped up tight, to be meted out when needed.
They dry up and become very crumbly if left out or refrigerated too long.
Our Saturday DelmarFarmers Market customers are sure to be disappointed to learn we won’t be
offering Energy Treats this season (staring tomorrow, Saturday, June 1). Feel free direct interested parties to our
blog for the recipe (so you don’t get Carpal Tunnel too), because they will
surely be asking you for it. With a little help and creativity, everyone can enjoy making (& eating) these wholesome treats at home.
Come
see us at the shop! Nick is always making something interesting and we’re starting Wednesday Night Fresh Market Dinners very soon! Details after the weekend.
Eat Well, Do Good
Britin & Nick
p.s. As professionals, we kindly
ask that you do not use this specific recipe for profit and please link back
here when cross-posting on other social media. :)
